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GUELPH, Ont. — Relations between the Bombers and Tiger-Cats are a little frosty after Winnipeg tried to take a Hamilton player off the practice roster earlier this week.

The Bombers tried to pluck Canadian linebacker Jonathan Beaulieu-Richard off the Ticats practice roster, but he decided to stay and was therefore activated for this week’s game. It’s not known if he’ll dress on Saturday against the Bombers, but he will still get a game cheque.

It’s customary for a team to call first before going after another team’s practice roster player, but the Bombers didn’t do that, Tiger-Cats head coach and GM Kent Austin said.

“I’d probably call, I think,” Austin said. “I don’t have any ill will towards any team that tries to take a guy off our practice roster if they do it by the rules. There’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s not that big a deal, but it adds a bit of spice to Saturday’s contest between the East Division rivals.

“I don’t blame them for going after him,” Austin said. “He’s a good football player.”

TASTY MATCHUP

Bombers defensive end Alex Hall admitted he drooled a bit when he saw Ticats right tackle Mike Ingersoll getting burned last week against Edmonton.

He sounded just as excited Friday when he learned Ingersoll has been banished to the practice roster and Canadian Greg Wojt, who has played guard his whole career, will make the start at right tackle.

“If he’s been playing guard, it’s going to be harder for anybody to play on the edge, especially if you’ve been playing guard and playing in that space,” Hall said. “Now when you get into open space like that, it’s harder to deal with. That’s for anybody. That’s like me playing defensive tackle.”

Wojt actually took over from Ingersoll midway through Sunday’s game, but Hall said he didn’t fare much better.

“He was getting barbecued, too,” Hall said.

PRIDE ON THE LINE

Hamilton middle linebacker Jamall Johnson admits his team’s struggling run defence has been bothering him a bit.

“It’s not just linebackers. That’s a total defensive thing,” Johnson said. “Teams are scheming things to get more than just linebackers involved in it. We have to just be gap sound on the D-line and linebackers and make our tackles when they’re there for us.

“But when you play in the box and growing up in the States as a linebacker, you don’t enjoy giving up rushing yards.”

QUOTABLE

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about there.”

— Ticats quarterback Henry Burris, when it was pointed out he doesn’t want to think about an 0-3 start.

LATE HITS

Due to their injuries, the Tiger-Cats have a whopping 76 players on their various rosters. The Bombers, by comparison, have 62, which is close to the league average … Hamilton has scored a league-high 28 points in the first quarter … Bombers have given up three kickoff returns of 30 yards or more. Going into Week 3 no one else had allowed more than one … Depending on which defensive end the Ticats decide to use as their designated import, they are making six or seven roster changes this week … Linebacker Marcellus Bowman, who who left the Bombers to sign as a free agent with the Tiger-Cats in February, is on the nine-game injured list due to off-season knee surgery … The Tiger-Cats announced Friday that their new stadium, which is scheduled to open next year, will be known as Tim Hortons Field. The favourite for the new park’s nickname is the “Coffee Grounds.”

Tensions rise after Bombers try to pluck player from Ticats' practice roster

GUELPH, Ont. — Relations between the Bombers and Tiger-Cats are a little frosty after Winnipeg tried to take a Hamilton player off the practice roster earlier this week.

The Bombers tried to pluck Canadian linebacker Jonathan Beaulieu-Richard off the Ticats practice roster, but he decided to stay and was therefore activated for this week’s game. It’s not known if he’ll dress on Saturday against the Bombers, but he will still get a game cheque.

It’s customary for a team to call first before going after another team’s practice roster player, but the Bombers didn’t do that, Tiger-Cats head coach and GM Kent Austin said.

“I’d probably call, I think,” Austin said. “I don’t have any ill will towards any team that tries to take a guy off our practice roster if they do it by the rules. There’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s not that big a deal, but it adds a bit of spice to Saturday’s contest between the East Division rivals.